UPDATED: An arrest has been made in this case which looks increasingly like a possible hate crime. Meanwhile, the police are shrugging off the comment that the victim deserved his brutal death. Read more at Towleroad.*
On a very serious note, a number of blogs have been reporting on the incredible brutal and horrific murder of a 19 year old Puerto Rican gay (pictured at left). While many of the details of the murder - which almost makes me want to vomit thinking about it - are still unknown, what is equally horrible is that the police inspector investigating the murder has stated that the 19 year old victim "deserved" his fate because of his "lifestyle." Personally, I am SO OVER these assholes who describe being gay as a lifestyle!! Is being straight a lifestyle? Is breathing a lifestyle? Is being black o being blond a lifestyle? I think not. Yet this lie is disseminated daily by professional Christians, the Roman Catholic Church and other self-congratulatory "Christians" who likewise put out the lie that gays are a threat to marriage and society in general. It is little surprise - particularly if this murder turns out to be a hate crime- that some believe the murder of gays is religiously justified. Here are some highlights via Towleroad:
*
Over the weekend the brutalized body of gay teen George Steven Lopez Mercado was found by the side of a road in Puerto Rico. The police investigator suggested that he deserved what he got because of the "type of lifestyle" he was leading.
*
According to an iReport by Chrisopher Pagan: "On November 14 the body of a gay 19 year old was found a few miles away from the town in which he was residing in called Caguas. He was a very well known person in the gay community of Puerto Rico, and very loved. He was found on the site of an isolated road in the city of Cayey, he was partially burned, decapitated, and dismembered, both arms, both legs, and the torso. This has caused a huge reaction from the gay community here, but its a difficult situation. Never in the history of Puerto Rico has a murder been classified as a hate crime. Even though we have to follow federal mandates and laws, many of the laws in which are passed in the USA such as Obama’s new bill, do not always directly get practiced in Puerto Rico. The police agent that is handling this case said on a public televised statement that 'people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen'. As If the boy murdered Jorge Steven Lopez was asking to get killed..."
*
*
Over the weekend the brutalized body of gay teen George Steven Lopez Mercado was found by the side of a road in Puerto Rico. The police investigator suggested that he deserved what he got because of the "type of lifestyle" he was leading.
*
According to an iReport by Chrisopher Pagan: "On November 14 the body of a gay 19 year old was found a few miles away from the town in which he was residing in called Caguas. He was a very well known person in the gay community of Puerto Rico, and very loved. He was found on the site of an isolated road in the city of Cayey, he was partially burned, decapitated, and dismembered, both arms, both legs, and the torso. This has caused a huge reaction from the gay community here, but its a difficult situation. Never in the history of Puerto Rico has a murder been classified as a hate crime. Even though we have to follow federal mandates and laws, many of the laws in which are passed in the USA such as Obama’s new bill, do not always directly get practiced in Puerto Rico. The police agent that is handling this case said on a public televised statement that 'people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen'. As If the boy murdered Jorge Steven Lopez was asking to get killed..."
*
In response to the callous, uncaring attitude of the local police, John Aravosis and Joe Sudbury of AmericaBlog are asking people to contact the U.S. Attorney General and demand that an investigation be undertaken by federal officers. Here's part of the e-mail that John and Joe sent to me:
*
Clearly there's not going to be a fair and impartial local investigation as to whether or not this is a hate crime. Please join us in asking Attorney General Eric Holder to have the use its new Hate Crimes law to investigate whether this horrible murder was motivated by anti-gay animus. We've set up an online action center where you can email the Attorney General. This is a perfect chance for the Obama administration to show that it cares about gay and lesbian Americans.
*
I encourage readers to take action and demand that the AG's office get involved under the newly passed federal hate crimes act.
4 comments:
I don't even have any real words to say about this poor man's murder. What could possibly possess someone to not just kill, but to mutilate the body and desecrate a person this way?
I'm tired of the term lifestyle also. The framing of this issue disgusts me as much as the violence perpetrated on gays, indeed one dovetails into the other. I have yet to hear anyone who claims that homosexuality is a lifestyle or choice, who can logically explain that conclusion. It's sickening.
I blogged about this as well. I have nothing good to say about Mr. 'police agent' that can spout stupid yet remain unnamed.
No one-even the stupidest of the stupid deserves to be brutalized in this manner.
I blogged about this last night. I found some newspapers from Puerto Rico and translated a story. It's simply beyond comprehension. I also asked people to contact Atty. General Eric Holder and request that this be investigated as a hate crime.
They choose the word "Lifestyle" because in their minds it is a choice. You can choose to live your life as a miserable closet case as They would prefer. That way They do not have to confront the parts of themselves They don't want to look at. Or you can be honest with yourself and everyone else and choose to lead a reasonably happy life.
-Russ
Post a Comment